Small size, big citizens: Small size Seeding Fund Call for Proposals

Small size, big citizens launches a new Small size Seeding Fund Call for Proposals, open since September 1st and closing on December 31st 2012.

Opened to European and extra-European companies and individual artists, Small size Seeding Fund is one of the activities promoted by the European project Small size, big citizens for the achievement of its objectives.

Through this Fund, the Small size Network intends to support the creation of new productions, in order to extend and diversify the European and extra-European theatrical offer for the 0-4 age group.

The Small size Seeding Fund is not an award, but a way to support those who intend to produce shows for early years. This is why shows already produced are not going to be awarded; projects are instead selected and supported.

Small size Seeding Fund

In support of new productions for children aged 0-4 years

Art. 1 – About the “Small size seeding fund”
The Small size seeding fund is one of the activities promoted by the European project Small size, big citizens – Widening of the European Network for the diffusion of the Performing Arts for Early Years (2009-2014) for the achievement of its objectives.

Through this Fund, intended for European companies, the Small size Network intends to support the creation of new productions, in order to extend and diversify the European theatrical offer for the 0-4 age group.

The Small size Seeding Fund is not an award, but a way to support those who intend to produce shows for early years. This is why shows already produced are not going to be awarded; projects are instead selected and supported.

Art. 2 – What the fund supports

The fund supports:
1. Theatrical, musical and dance productions (performing arts), to be realised by:
a. professional companies and individual artists that decided to investigate this field, demonstrating commitment to pursue this aim;
b. professional companies working in the field of early years and whose work is recognised at a national and international level.

Art. 3 – Limitations to the participation
The selected productions can by no means be co-productions and/or generate direct economic benefits for co-organisers and associated partners of “Small size, big citizens”.

The winners of 2010 and 2011 calls for proposals cannot apply for the 2012 call.

Art. 4 – How the projects are supported
The fund supports the projects by:
– granting € 6.000,00 for the productions;
– guaranteeing the presentation of the production on the occasion of at least one Small size festival;
– promoting the selected projects through the network;
– allowing the use of the Small size logo as well as the Culture Programme one for the promotional material relating to the supported project (posters, brochures, etc).

Art. 5 – Deadlines for this call for proposals
The deadlines for this call for proposals are the following:
• Presentation of the call for proposal: September, 1st, 2012
• Final deadline for presenting the applications: December 31st, 2012
• Selection of projects: by February 28th, 2013
• Premières of shows: after September 1st, 2013 and by August, 31st , 2014
• Inclusion of shows in the programme of the Small size Festivals: in 2013 (Autumn) and 2014

Art. 6 – Number of selected projects
This call for proposals intends to support production projects for early years (0-4 years) of:
1. Dance or music performances
2. Theatrical or movement performances
3. Object or puppet shows
4. Shows produced by European companies (not only of the European Union) from countries not represented in Small size, big citizens. This production can be of any performing art
5. Shows produced by companies of non-European Countries. This production can be of any performing art

Applicants shall specify, in their application, for which category they intend to apply, giving only one choice. If they fail to indicate the category or indicate more than one, they will be excluded from the selection.

If no proposal is submitted for one of the categories, or if, for one of them, it is not possible to identify a high-quality proposal, support will be granted to the best projects presented in the other categories, up to a maximum of 4.

Art. 7 – How to present a project
Applicants should submit the following documentation – in English:
-Application form, see facsimile attached
-A presentation of the project, specifying the age group it addresses. Presentations will have to be no longer than a page (1.500 characters). Longer presentations will not be taken into consideration for the selection
-Synopsis of the production
-A curriculum vitae/resume
Incomplete documentation will not be taken into consideration.
In the application, participants can include a selection of material documenting previous activities (DVDs, photographs, articles or pieces of research), useful for assessing originality and quality.

The following can also be included (not compulsory):
– Estimated cost (payments and reimbursements) for additional performances of the show within a Small size Festival, after the première and the first presentation to a Small size festival as established by this call for proposals (see art. 4 and art. 10).
– Premises in which the productions can be performed; if it will be possible to present them in schools or in other premises (not technically equipped); if darkness is needed or other requirements.
– Small size Festival/s in which the participants would like to take part.

Application should be sent to the Network’s administrative office (via mail or e-mail), to the following address:
Segreteria network Small size
c/o La Baracca onlus – via Matteotti 16 – 40129 – Bologna (Italy)
info@smallsize.org
Documents will be deemed valid from mailing date.

Art. 8 – Selection criteria
The projects will be selected by a committee composed by the partners of the project “Small size, big citizens”.

Art. 9 – Participation in the festivals
Each project that is selected will be presented during one Small size Festival.
Within the festival there will be a maximum of 3 (three) performances over maximum 3 (three) consecutive days; no additional payment will be granted, but only the following reimbursements:

meals and accommodation
travel expenses and freight expenses by car/van
travel expenses by train
The festival organisation will reimburse the selected company directly.
As for travel and freight, in the case of applicants using their own means of transport, the costs will be reimbursed at the rate of EUR 0,22 per km as per EACEA’s guidelines.

Expenses for meals and accommodation are covered for the day of arrival and the days in which performances are held.

Unless the festival organisation decides otherwise, flight costs (both travel and freight) are to be paid by the selected company.

Any additional performance will be agreed upon by the applicant and the organiser of the Festival, who will have to refer to the cost estimate as per art. 7.

The selected companies will have the opportunity to take part in up to 2 (two) more festivals with the same conditions listed above concerning the reimbursements. In this case, the organiser will cover the expenses for board and lodging for at least two more days than those in which the performances are held. This allows the applicants the possibility to give increased visibility to the project and, at the same time, to gain a deeper insight into the Small size environment.

In all of the cases above, the festival organiser might decide to reimburse a lump sum for expenses.

Art. 10 – Small size Festivals
The Small size festivals in which the accepted projects will be presented are
“Visioni di futuro, visioni di teatro…”, Bologna – Italy
“Pépites – L’Art et les Tout-Petits”, Charleroi – Belgium
“Zlata palicica”, Ljubljana – Slovenia
“100, 1.000, 1.000.000 stories” Bucharest – Romania
“Semanas internacionales de teatro para niñas y niños”, Madrid – Spain
“Pequeña Escena” – Vitoria – Spain
“Hellwach – Internationales Kinder-Jugendtheaterfestival”, Hamm – Germany
“Bravo” and “Ruutia” – Annantalo Arts Centre, Helsinki – Finland
“Baborò…” festival, Galway – Ireland
“Kaposvar Assitej Biennale” – Kaposvar – Hungary
“Takeoff Festival 2013” – UK
“Sticky Fingers Festival”, Newry – Northern Ireland, UK

The Festival indicated by the applicant is merely indicative (see Art. 7). During the selection, the Festival in which the production will be presented will be chosen, trying to satisfy the applicant’s request keeping in mind that there is the need to present the different productions supported by the Small size seeding fund in as many Festivals as possible.

Art.11 – Reference person
A reference person chosen among the partners of “Small size, big citizens” will be assigned to every selected project. The reference person is not to supervise the participant’s work or production process, and any expense that may be necessary shall be borne by the participant.

Art.12 – Contract and disbursement of the grant
The winners will stipulate a contract with La Baracca onlus, in its capacity as co-ordinator and cash manager of the project “Small size, big citizens”.

La Baracca onlus will pay out the contribution of € 6.000,00 (net of VAT) in 2 times:
– the first part of 4.000,00 € (net of Vat) grant upon demonstration that the first representation took place.
– the second part of 2.000,00 € (net of Vat) after having verified that the requirements under contract have been met.

Please ask to get the APPLICATION FACSIMILE sent from info@smallsize.org
For any other information, feel free to contact us: email: info@smallsize.org
phone: 39 051 4153713 (Antonella Dalla Rosa)